The Citadel

The United States Armed Forces now have more than 140 new officers. Held on Friday, May 3, during a joint commissioning ceremony, approximately 30% of the Class of 2024 accepted commissions into the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force. This year's joint ceremony was held in McAlister Field House. The ceremony included the now-officers reciting their oath, as well as having gold bars pinned on their uniforms by their sponsors. Following the ceremony, the commissionees gathered on Summerall Field where they received their first salutes as officers. The commencement ceremony for the Corps is held the day after the commissioning ceremonies.

The Citadel's mission of producing principled leaders is well demonstrated through the ROTC detachments, which provide cadets with the necessary tools to prepare them for their future military careers after graduation. The departments, which include Air Force/Space Force ROTC, Army ROTC, Marine Corps ROTC and Navy ROTC, ensures The Citadel is one of the nation's proven producers of top military leaders. Annually, the departments nominate their finest cadets and active duty students for awards. The award recipients are normally honored as a group in McAlister Field House.

The ROTC detachments at The Citadel provide cadets with leadership training, to prepare them to begin their military careers as officers after graduation. About 30% of each South Carolina Corps of Cadets graduating class earn commissions into all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Through the departments, which include Air Force/Space Force ROTC, Army ROTC, Marine Corps ROTC and Navy ROTC, The Citadel is one of the nation's proven producers of top military leaders. Annually, the departments nominate their finest cadets and active duty students for awards. The award recipients are normally honored as a group in McAlister Field House.

The United States Armed Forces now have more than 180 new officers. Held on Friday, May 5, during a joint commissioning ceremony, approximately 30% of the Class of 2023 accepted commissions into the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force. This year's joint ceremony was held in McAlister Field House. The ceremony included the now-officers reciting their oath, as well as having gold bars pinned on their uniforms by their sponsors. Following the ceremony, the commissionees gathered on Summerall Field where they received their first salutes as officers. The commencement ceremony for the Corps is held the day after the commissioning ceremonies.

Physical fitness is one of the four pillars at The Citadel supporting the cadet experience in the development of the whole individual. As part of that commitment, The Citadel Physical Effectiveness Program (CPEP) leads cadets through regular early morning physical training (PT) and the required military-based PT test every semester. CPEP is underpinned by the philosophy that effective leaders take pride in their own level of physical fitness. Recently eleven cadets and knobs (freshmen) took their commitment to physical fitness to another level, earning the Dutch Military Proficiency Badge. Members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets were first introduced to the badge and its related challenges by Capt. Wouter Sijtsma, The Citadel's Alpha Company Tactical, Advisory and Counseling (TAC) Officer.

Nearing the mid-point of their senior year, more than 70 cadets at The Citadel now know what branch of the Army they will enter after graduation. The soon-to-be Army officers received their branch assignments during a ceremony on Dec. 1 in Summerall Chapel.

During their time at The Citadel, the ROTC departments provide military-contract cadets with officer training, to allow them to begin their military careers as officers after graduation. Through the departments, which include Air Force ROTC, Army ROTC, Marines ROTC and Navy ROTC, The Citadel is one of the nation's proven producers of top military leaders. Annually, the departments nominate their finest cadets and active duty students for awards. The award recipients are normally honored as a group in McAlister Field House. Even though the ceremony was canceled due to COVID-19, The Citadel wants to give these outstanding cadets the recognition they deserve.

Cadet Paul Rhyne II is among the top ten Army ROTC cadets in the nation, and "above the best" according Maj. Gen. John Evans, commanding general at the U.S. Army Cadet Command. As part of an annual video countdown of the top ten cadets, Army ROTC command announced on November 16 that Rhyne is #7. Rhyne will accept an Army commission to become an officer prior to graduating in May and is being assigned to the aviation branch. He is a pre-med Biology major from Irmo, South Carolina where he attended Dutch Fork High School. Rhyne is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi academic honor society, the Pre-Med Society and The Citadel Flying Club. He has earned gold stars for academic excellence while at The Citadel among other honors, and serves as a cadet officer. Each fall, the U.S. Army Cadet Command selects ten college seniors for its national order-of-merit list. Rhyne's accomplishment marks the third consecutive year an Army ROTC cadet from the South Carolina Corps of Cadets has earned a slot in the top ten. In 2018, Cadet Matthew Wilder earned the #2 position and in 2017 Robert Weigand was #8. The order-of-merit list is compiled based on several criteria including grade point average, performance on the Army Physical Fitness Test, college athletic participation and performance during college ROTC training and Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky, according to the command website.

One of the primary responsibilities for upperclassmen at The Citadel is to provide military instruction to the freshmen class. And now, one company on campus can spend the year bragging about the quality of their training. Just before the clock on the tower of Padgett-Thomas Barracks struck 7 p.m., the cheers from Echo Company, the winner of this year's Kelly Cup, reverberated off the walls. The Kelly Cup usually occurs on the Saturday during Parents Weekend - but, as with most everything else in the world, the pandemic forced the college to make adjustments; this year, the final was held on Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Nearly 20 of the Navy's newest officers took their commissioning oaths just before graduating from the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. Members of the Class of 2019 going into the Navy were recognized at a commissioning ceremony on Friday, May 3 in Summerall Chapel. Every year, the commencement ceremony for the South Carolina Corps of Cadets is held the day after the commissioning ceremonies. Approximately 35% of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets Class of 2019 are now officers in all branches of the United States Armed Forces.

Twenty eight of the Marine Corps' newest officers will come from the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. Members of the Class of 2019 going into the Marines took their commissioning oaths on Friday, May 3 in Summerall Chapel. Every year, the commencement ceremony for the South Carolina Corps of Cadets is held the day after the commissioning ceremonies. Approximately 35% of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets Class of 2019 are now officers in all branches of the United States Armed Forces.

Nearly three dozen of the Air Force's newest officers will come from the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. 34 members of the Class of 2019 took their commissioning oaths on Friday, May 3 in Summerall Chapel. Every year, the commencement ceremony for the South Carolina Corps of Cadets is held the day after the commissioning ceremonies. Approximately 35% of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets Class of 2019 are now officers in all branches of the United States Armed Forces.

ROTC programs produce almost 70% of the officers that enter the Army each year, and more than 100 of them will come from The Citadel in 2019. Most of the 104 members of the Class of 2019 who accepted Army commissions participated in the commissioning ceremony held on Friday, May 3 in McAlister Field House. A small number will accept their commissions later in the year after completing summer training. Every year, the commencement ceremony for the South Carolina Corps of Cadets is held the day after the commissioning ceremonies. Approximately 35% of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets Class of 2019 are now officers in all branches of the United States Armed Forces.

Cadet Lt. Col. Mitchell Felt presented with the General Douglas MacArthur Cadet of the Year Award.

Cadet Col. Sarah Zorn was awarded the Society of the Cincinnati Medal during the final parade in February.

Seventeen of the newest Marine Corps officers took their commissioning oath on Friday, May 4 in Summerall Chapel. The cadets were officially sworn in as officers during the South Carolina Corps of Cadets commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 5. More than 160 cadets involved in The Citadel ROTC departments will become commissioned officers across all branches of the military in 2018.

Eleven of the newest Navy officers took their commissioning oath on Friday, May 4 in Summerall Chapel. The cadets were officially sworn in as officers during the South Carolina Corps of Cadets commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 5. More than 160 cadets involved in The Citadel ROTC departments will become commissioned officers across all branches of the military in 2018.

Twenty of the newest Air Force officers took their commissioning oath on Friday, May 4 in Summerall Chapel. The cadets were officially sworn in as officers during the South Carolina Corps of Cadets commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 5. More than 160 cadets involved in The Citadel ROTC departments will become commissioned officers across all branches of the military in 2018.

The Class of 2017 includes 11 men and women who are now America's newest military officers serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Class of 2017 includes 10 men and women who are now America's newest military officers serving in the U.S. Navy.

ROTC programs produce almost 70 percent of the officers that enter the Army each year, and more than 100 of them will come from The Citadel in 2018. Cadets joining the Army upon graduation at The Citadel took their commissioning oath on Friday, May 4 in McAlister Field House. The cadets were officially sworn in as officers during the South Carolina Corps of Cadets commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 5.

The Class of 2017 includes 24 men and women who are now America's newest military officers serving in the U.S. Army.

The Class of 2017 includes 93 men and women who are now America's newest military officers serving in the U.S. Army.

Citadel cadet and midshipman competes for 2016 Ship-Handler of the Year

Citadel cadet, Robert Wiegand, U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, attended a three-week culture, understanding and language proficiency course with Djiboutian Army cadets in Djibouti, Africa from July 16 to Aug. 6, 2016.

On May 6, 2016, 16 men and women from The Citadel commissioned into the Navy.

On May 6, 2016, 15 men and women from The Citadel commissioned into the Marine Corps.

On May 6, 2016, 15 men and women from The Citadel commissioned into the Air Force.

On May 6, 2016, 104 men and women from The Citadel commissioned into the Army.

On May 8, 2015, 19 men and women from The Citadel commissioned into the Air Force.